Who’s chairing Commons committees? The scorecard so far.

House of Commons committees are finally forming up for this 42nd Parliament. The 25 standing committees of the House and three Joint Committees (committees of MPs and senators) are where much of the real work of our federal politicians happens.

Each standing committee is made up of 10 members and seats on each committee are doled out to each party in rough proportion to the number of seats they hold in the House itself. So, for this Parliament, the Liberals will have a majority on each and every committee with six members each. The Conservatives, as the Official Opposition, get three slots on each committee and the NDP gets just one seat.

Neither the BQ nor the Green Party are entitled to any seats because, as per the Standing Orders of the House of Commons, Committee slots are given only to a “recognized party” in the House and only those parties that hold at least 12 seats get that designation. (The BQ holds 10 seats; the Greens 1.)

Not only do the Liberals get six seats on each 10-member committee, they also get the influential chairperson’s job on all but four of those committees. By rule, the chairperson’s job goes to a member of the Official Opposition on four committees: Access to Information, Ethics and Privacy (ETHI); Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO); Public Accounts (PACP); and Status of Women (FEWO).

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development (AANO). Chair is Liberal Andy Filmore, (left)a rookie MP representing Halifax. Before winning on Oct. 19, his background was in urban planning and economic development. The vice-chairs are Conservative David Yurdiga (Fort McMurray—Athabasca) and Charlie Angus (Timmins—James Bay).

Agriculture and Agri-Food (AAFC). Chair is Liberal Pat Finnigan, (right) a rookie MP representing the New Brunswick riding of Miramichi—Grand Lake. Finnigan is known as “Mr. Tomato” back home for the greenhouse business he runs in Rogersville and Richibucto where he grows, you guessed it, tomatoes — along with cucumbers, peppers, and flowers. Vice-chairs are Conservative Bev Shipley and New Democrat Ruth Ellen Brosseau.

Canadian Heritage (CHPC). Chair is Liberal Hedy Fry, (left) the longest-serving MP of either party from British Columbia. She is also the second oldest among all 338 MPs. A physician by training, she represents the riding of Vancouver Centre. Her vice-chairs are Conservative Larry Maguire and New Democrat Pierre Nantel.

International Trade (CIIT) Chair is Liberal Mark Eyking, (right) the veteran MP from the Cape Breton riding of Sydney—Victoria. When Paul Martin was prime minister, Eyking was parliamentary secretary to the minister for International Trade. His vice-chairs are Conservative Randy Hoback and New Democrat Tracey Ramsay.

Environment and Sustainable Development (ENVI). Chair is Liberal Deborah Schulte, (left) a rookie MP from the Greater Toronto Area riding of King—Vaughan who holds a mechanical and aerospace engineering degree from Princeton. Prior to federal politics, she was a regional councillor and very active with groups trying to protect the Humber River watershed, the Oak Ridges Moraine and the GTA Greenbelt. Her vice-chairs are Conservative Jim Eglinski and New Democrat Nathan Cullen.

Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI). Chair is Conservative Blaine Calkins, (right) elected in 2006 and a veteran of several Commons committee including this one in the last Parliament. Calkins is from the Alberta riding of Red Deer—Lacombe. His co-chairs are Liberal Joël Lightbound and New Democrat Daniel Blaikie.

Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE). Chair is Liberal Bob Nault, (left) the MP from the northern Ontario riding of Kenora who was an MP from 1988 to 2004 when he did not offer again. He came back to the House in the 2011 election. Jean Chretien made him Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, a position he held relative distinction from 1999 to 2003. His committee vice-chairs are Dean Allison and New Democrat Hélène Laverdière.

Status of Women (FEWO). Chair is Conservative Marilyn Gladu, (right) the rookie MP from Sarnia who is the first female professional engineer to be elected an MP. Ever. So says the professional association of engineers. (Deb Schulte, chair of ENVI, has a degree in engineer but perhaps was not a current member of the professional association of engineers). In any event, joining Gladu in her quest to break glass ceilings everywhere as vice-chairs are Liberal Pam Damoff and New Democrat Sheila Malcolmson.

Finance (FINA). Chair is Liberal Wayne Easter, (left) a veteran who has been kicking around the House of Commons since 1993 as MP for the PEI riding of Malpeque. He’s a former Solicitor-General and a former chair of other Commons committees. His vice-chair is Conservative Ron Liepert and New Democrat Guy Caron.

Health (HESA). Chair is Liberal Bill Casey, (right) who has served in the government of no less than four prime ministers. He was a Progressive Conservative under Mulroney and Campbell, a Conservative in the Harper government, and now he’s a liberal in the Trudeau government. Casey represents the Nova Scotia riding of Cumberland—Colchester. His co-chairs are Conservative Len Webber and New Democrat Don Davies.

Procedure and House Affairs (PROC). Chair is Liberal MP Larry Bagnell, (left) the MP from the Yukon who was first elected in 2000, lost to Conservative Ryan Leef in 2011, then won the seat back last year. His vice-chairs are Conservative Blake Richards and New Democrat David Christopherson.

Public Safety and Security (SECU). Chair is Liberal MP Rob Oliphant,(right) the MP from Don Valley West. He’s another Liberal who avenged his 2011 defeat by winning the re-match in 2015. Oliphant is a formerUnited Church minister. Vice-chairs are Conservative Larry Miller and New Democrat Matt Dubé.

Transportation and Infrastructure (TRAN). Chair is Liberal MP Judy Sgro, (left) the veteran MP for York West who arrived in the House in a by-election in 1999 and has been there ever since. Jean Chretien made her Citizenship and Immigration Minister once. Her vice-chairs are Conservative Luc Berthold and New Democrat Linda Duncan.

All the other committees have yet to elect their chairs. Most will pick their chairs this week. Here’s a couple of hunches of mine of who gets the top job: